Mr Sargeant's son Jack, who replaced his father as Alyn and Deeside AM after his death, attended the hearing in Ruthin County Hall on Friday along with seven other friends and relatives.

Also in court were legal representatives for the family and the department of First Minister Carwyn Jones, who are interested parties, along with a representative for the Labour Party.

In a statement, Mr Jones said he had not been aware of Mr Sargeant's mental health illness or vulnerabilities at the time, but said he may have had a "problem with alcohol"

Coroner for North Wales (East and Central) John Gittins said the First Minister would be among the witnesses called to give evidence at the inquest and would be questioned about what he knew about Mr Sargeant's mental health.

However, he indicated that the inquest would not look into the allegations made against Mr Sargeant of inappropriate behaviour.

The court heard a post-mortem report showed Mr Sargeant had therapeutic levels of anti-depressant in his system when he died and had a two-year history of depression.

Leslie Thomas QC, representing Mr Sargeant's family, said: "I would humbly submit that one of the matters a coroner would be interested in particular, when a decision had been taken to dismiss him from the Cabinet, is whether those in the position of making those decisions had any knowledge of those potential vulnerabilities."

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Mr Gittins said the hearing would also hear evidence from a driver who collected Mr Sargeant from the meeting where he was dismissed and another person present at the meeting, as well as Mr Sargeant's wife Bernadette and his GP.

But he said he did not think details of the allegations made by women against Mr Sargeant would be relevant to the inquest.

Cathryn McGahey QC, representing the department of the First Minister, said: "An increasing number of women have either come forward or been identified as saying they were subjected to inappropriate behaviour by Mr Sargeant."

Mr Thomas said they were "unproven allegations" and Mr Sargeant wasn't there to defend himself against them.

Mr Gittins refused a request from Mr Thomas for an article two inquest - which can be held if it is arguable the state was aware of a real or immediate risk to life and could consider wider circumstances.

He said the inquest would not have a jury and he would not wait until the conclusion of an independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Mr Sargeant's death to hold the hearings.